1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cushioned barrier that allows a pet to ride in the backseat of a vehicle without falling onto the floor.
2. Description of Related Art
Pet owners often take their pets with them on car rides whether running errands, trips to the park or even to pet friendly restaurants for a bite to eat. The pet may travel in the front passenger seat or they may be restricted to a backseat or back cabin depending on the size of the animal, temperament, and animal's comfort level during travel. Often times, when the pet is freely standing on the front or back seat, they will stumble or fall as soon as the driver applies their brakes. This may injure the pet if they land wrong or hit their head or paws on an object in front of them.
To prevent pet injuries while traveling in a vehicle pet harnesses and carriers have been developed to secure the animal in place. Some pet owners may place their animals in carriers that completely enclose the animal in a mesh bag or crate to prevent them from moving around the cabin or stumbling when the brakes are applied. Alternatively, some people may strap their pets into a modified seat belt or harness which restricts movement of the animal to the seat to prevent injury while the vehicle is in motion. Finally, pet car seats have been developed which combine the features of a carrier with advantages of a harness to isolate the pet. The car seat may be a pet bed structure which straps into the normal seatbelt of the vehicle. While these pet restraints do help to keep the animals safe while riding in a vehicle, they restrict free movement. Movement restriction may cause the animal to become even more nervous and anxious especially when they are nervous to ride in the car in the first place.
Therefore, it would be desirable in the art to provide an alternative safety device for pets while riding in a vehicle. It would also be beneficial for the device to allow unrestricted movement of the pet while still keeping them safe during travel.